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Champion Guangzhou fights back to deny Shenhua in CSL

By Ma Yue | 23:08 UTC+8 May 5, 2017 | Online Edition

DEFENDING champion Guangzhou Evergrande rallied to beat Shanghai Greenland Shenhua 3-2 in their Chinese Super League match in Guangzhou today despite the visitors enjoying a 2-1 lead at break.

Greenland Shenhua was playing its sixth away game in a row in both CSL and CFA Cup after Hongkou Football Stadium caught fire in March. Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins was leading the attack again in the absence of the injured Tevez.

Both teams went on the offensive from the whistle, and substituted their U23 players within 18 minutes into the game. Shenhua’s 18-year-old midfielder Liu Ruofan showed his class on his CSL debut despite the limited playing time. His pass in the 16th minute found an unmarked Giovanni Moreno whose shot hit the post.

But the hosts scored first in the 24th when Brazil’s Paulinho found the net from Gao Lin’s assist. Five minutes later, Fredy Guarin grabbed the equalizer for Shenhua with a stunning free-kick from 50 yards. The Colombian picked up a foot injury and was substituted in the second half.

Martins then put the visitors ahead, scoring in the injury time of first half.

The champions expectedly upped the tempo in the second half but Shenhua did well in seeing off their early attack. But an own goal by Shenhua defender Li Jianbin in the 71st tied the game at 2-2.

Evergrande grabbed the winner in the 86th when midfielder Yu Hanchao managed to get one past Shenhua goalie Li Shuai, who had blocked shots from Ricardo Goulart and Paulinho.

With the win, Evergrande now has 19 points from eight matches and is sitting top. Shenhua is seventh on 10 points.

Meanwhile, Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng FC announced the signing of former Beijing Guo’an and Shenhua coach Gregorio Manzano as their new manager. Guizhou currently is 11th in the 16-team CSL with six points from seven matches. Manzano’s task is clear cut -- to keep his new team in CSL next season.

Manzano was voted as the best coach in CSL in 2014. He led Shenhua to fourth place last season before he was replaced by Uruguayan Gus Poyet.

Manzano will take over the reins of the team on May 8 and will miss Guizhou's trip to Shanghai SIPG tomorrow.

Guizhou media has speculated that Manzano signed on the dotted line after being promised a pay package "that he would have probably earned in the rest of his life.”

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